NMIMS files complaint, forms panel to look into online harassment complaints from Mumbai students

Days after at least four female students of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) complained about being harassed online during their exams, the management has set up a committee to look into the complainants

Days after at least four female students of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) complained about being harassed online during their exams, the management has set up a committee to look into the complainants.

The matter came to light last week after some students of NMIMS took to Twitter to share screenshots of messages shared by proctors on the personal mobile phones of the female students. (HT Photo)

This matter came to light last week after some students of NMIMS took to Twitter to share screenshots of messages shared by proctors on the personal mobile phones of the female students.

Four proctors working with Mercer Mettl, the online examination conducting company hired by NMIMS, was fired by the company after receiving reports of harassment.

In a statement released late Tuesday night, a spokesperson for NMIMS said, “The university has formed a committee to resolve the issue. The deans have also spoken to students on the issue.”

In their complaints to the institute, students shared screenshots of several messages and photos shared by some proctors after the exam on students’ personal phone numbers.

In the current academic year, examinations for all education institutes had to be conducted online due to the ongoing lockdown and in most cases, colleges have hired an independent software company to conduct exams and proctor the same online.

Mercer Mettl was hired by NMIMS and has been working with the institute for more than a year now.

During exams, a student has to appear for the exam by keeping their computer camera on, to avoid any malpractices during the exam.

Students also have to show his or her identity card at the start of the exam on the camera and shared that these accused proctors picked students’ mobile numbers from this identity card and contacted the students.